Old Freemasonry Before Grand Lodge.

important , so far as regards candidates and joining members than it is now . The obligation in some lodges was given as at & n installation , the obligation not being recited by the candidate , but to him .

In the MS . of Bro . Younghusband is to be found the germ of the obligation in the third degree , and suggestions as to its origin . The length of a cable tow in some places wa ten miles .

The stated meetings of lodges were once a year , but some met monthly or could be convened monthly . The legend is referred to of a " General Assembly " to be held at lodge , and this is suggestive of the doctrine that the invention of

" Grand Lodge was that of a new name to represent the old legend and idea . On the other hand , the setting up the " Grand Lodge " at York was another form of invention , the York trying to profit at the same time by the legend in favour of

York , and by naming it a Grand Lodge , but a permanent Grand Lodge and staff never existed at York in early days . It is , however , quite possible that some " General Assembly " of speculative Masons or others was held by the Duke of "St . Albans , as alleged . The MS . refers to new charsres that were added .

It would appear that the first degree properly belongs to minors , that it was not originally conferred upon adults , but they received the second or third degree , or the whole ceremony at once , as is still done in some countries , and supposed

by many English Masons to be illegitimate and contrary to the landmarks . It appears as if a landmark had been altered in order to receive

adults into the first degree . The form of admission must have varied in every place , and it appears probable that while in some places the lodges of Masons became Guilds , that in other places there were lodges that never

became Guilds , in fact , whenever five Masons could be got together . The scribe represents Hiram as the son of King Hiram ; there is hardly a name which is not mis-spelled , and the chronology indulges in ample

media 3 val confusion . The MS . favours the idea that there was a system of Masonic legends , grips , and ceremonies prevalent throughout Europe during the middle ages . With regard to the admission of non-operatives

Old Freemasonry Before Grand Lodge.

I would certainly suggest that the monk architects and builders would certainly be admitted as members , and very probably had a large share in the development of the system of Freemasonry , which was in conformity with the other institutions of the Middle ages .

Brahmo Somaj.

BRAHMO SOMAJ .

By INDOPHALUS . Idolatry is , it is well known , a disqualification in India to admission into Masonry , which is only open to the members of orthodox deistical sects , as Jews , Parsees , Christians , and Musselmans .

Those who have been idolated must sign a renunciation of idolatry , a public profession of deism , and even then their reception is not assured as in Bengal , an authorisation must be obtained from the D . G . M .

As a new distinct body is in progress , which has furnished , and will furnish , candidates for Masonry , some account of the Brahmo Somaj may be desirable : — The Indian Mirror , tbe organ of the Brahma Somaj

describes the celebration of the thirty-ninth anniversary of the origin of that important movement at Calcutta , which appears to have been attended by worshippers from all parts of the country . The week preceding the anniversary was spent in prayer and the chaunting of hymns . The anniversary services were arranged as follows : —The morning procession , the consecration of

the new church , Divine service and hymns , and a lecture at the Town Hall . In the procession one of the banners was borne by a Brahmin convert from Delhi , another by an es-Musselman from Eastern Bengal . The new church was consecrated by Keshub Chunder Sen , who thus described the worship which was to be practised in it : — " The One True God alone , the One without a second , shall be worshipped in this house . No created object , neither man , nor any other being , shall be adored or

worshipped in this hall . Any books , or relics , or symbols which any man , number of men or nation , may observe with such unbecoming reverence as has degraded (?) or may degrade into superstition , shall be treated here only with that amount of consideration which they may deserve . No sculpture or painting for the remembrance of any persons or persons , shall be here preserved . All

men without distinction of caste shall be welcomed in this building , No prayer or worship offered to man , or through tbe agency of any individual , shall be here allowed . " Several native ladies attended the evening service , behind a purdah . Baboo Kesub Chunder Sen ' s lecture at the Town Hall is said to have been very disappointingThe Brahma Somaj talks much of

mis-. sionaries , and some few of its teachers show a self-denying spirit . The Somaj continues to be a body of not more than two thousand youths of the middle class educated in English colleges . It may be added that , according to the last advices from Calcutta , a rite of naming or baptising infants has been added to the liturgy of the Brahmo Somaj .

It is to be observed that Indian Freemasons while acquiring the profession of deism as an essential , are tolerant in not pushing the investi-